How to Welcome a New Puppy With Other Dogs in the House

Welcoming a new puppy into your home can be a challenge, especially when there are other dogs in the house. Your puppy should have a thorough examination with a veterinarian before introducing him to your other pets, including up-to-date vaccinations and de-worming. It is just as important that your resident canines do not have parasites and are healthy before introducing the young stranger into your home. It can take several weeks for older dogs to become acclimated to a new puppy in the home.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog leash
  • Helpers
  • Dog treats
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Introduce your new puppy to the outside terrain around your home by taking him for a short walk on a leash before introducing him to your other dogs.

    • 2

      Obtain the aid of a helper, and take your resident animals on a walk with the new puppy. This will allow the dogs to explore each other on neutral territory without the confinement of a home. Correct the dogs if you need to by pulling gently on the leash; try not to maintain too much tension, as this can frustrate dogs and heighten aggression.

    • 3

      Return to the home with the dogs and new puppy, offering treats for good behavior if the walk went well. Pet your resident animals, and give them verbal affirmation that everything is okay; keep the leash on the new puppy and resident dogs as you slowly allow them to acclimate to each other.

    • 4

      Introduce your puppy to your other dogs one at a time. Even if the animals were fine on neutral territory. it does not mean there will not be additional tension once they are home.

    • 5

      Allow the dogs to remain within sight of each other, but do not force the introduction. If you notice signs of aggression, move the animals at a safe distance where neither shows signs of tension. Reward the dogs with treats if they seem receptive to each other.

    • 6

      Watch for signs of aggression such as growling, hackles or stiffening. Try not to react sharply to your resident animal if he reacts aggressively; move him to an area away from the puppy, and ignore him until he settles down. If both the puppy and the older dog show signs of aggression, move them to separate areas, and try to reintroduce them at a later time.

    • 7

      Correct your animals before a fight breaks out. If you notice growling, hard staring or stiffening from either animal, gently correct the dog with a leash pull and the word "no." It may take some time for your animals to acclimate to each other, so be sure to have separate neutral areas they can reside in until the newcomer is fully accepted.